Knockdown sectional cabinet-work.



I No. 773,161. PATENTED OGT.25,1904.

J. P. PRIBSMEYER.

KNOGKDOWN SEGTIONAL CABINET WORK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 15, 1904. no MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

KNOCKDOWN SECTIONAL CABINET-WORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,161, dated October 25, 1904. Application filed February 15, 1904 Serial No. 193,530- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN F. PRIESMEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Sectional Cabinetork, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved construction of such cabinetwork as bookcases, file-cases, and other cabinets partitioned horizontally or vertically, or both, adapted to be built up section by section and extended, according to the necessity of the user, either vertically or horizontally by addition of new sections, so as to form a unitary structure, and particularly adapted to be knocked down or taken to pieces, not only by the separation of the several sections from each other, but by the disorganization of each section.

It consists of the features of construction set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a sectional cabinet embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section at the line 2 2, designed to show the form ofjunction of the back with the upright partitions. Fig. 3 is a detail section at the line 3 3 on Fig. 2, designed to show the form of the junctions between the successive sections or parts of the vertical partitions or standards and the horizontal partitions or shelves. Fig. 4 is a detail section at the line 4 4, showing the form of junction between the successive sections of the end standard and the horizontal partitions or shelves. Fig. 5 is a detail section at the line 5 5, showing one shelf partly withdrawn.

The uprights,whether end standards or vertical partitions, of my sectional cabinet-work are constructed so as to be jointed together section to section endwise by means of the horizontal partitions or shelves, and consecutive parallel uprights, whether end standards or vertical, are spaced and connected together by the horizontal partitions or shelves, which at the same time at each end connect the vertical sections of the several uprights. Each rectangular section, comprising two parallel vertical standards and two horizontal partitions or shelves, is rendered rigid in right and left vertical plane by the back, which is constructed to engage the uprights and to abut on or extend past and be abutted on by the horizontal partitions or shelves. For the purpose of the detachable junctions at all the points indicated I employ angle-plates A and double angle or channel plates B. My invention can be operated, as hereinabove indicated and hereinafter described, without the employment of any other form of fitting, except these single and double angle-plates secured by screws or bolts to the several parts which they are designed to connect.

The uprights of my sectional cabinet-work I make in sections C, in length corresponding to the height of one or more of the shelf or pigeon-hole spaces, it 'being'understood that for building up the structure section by section additions will be made usually in units corresponding to one shelf or pigeonhole space, but that in original construction the initial elements may comprise a greater number of such spaces within the compass of one section of the uprights. Each end of the section which is designed to be arranged for junction with another section either above or below it is rabbeted at both sides, and one of the angle-plates A is applied to each face of the upright with the short lip of the angleplate overhanging the rabbet, the two short lips thus facing toward each other and toward the intermediate tongue or reduced portion of the upright, such lips being spaced from both walls of the rabbet a distance equal to the thickness of the plate, so that a corresponding angle-plate can be fitted in the rabbet engaged with the angle-plate secured on the face of the upright, as described. The horizontal partitions or shelves D are at their ends rabbeted similarly to the uprightsections, and upon the end of the shelf there is secured the double angle or channel plate B with its parallel flanges facing inward, overhanging the rabbet, and spaced from the two walls or surfaces of the rabbet a distance equal to the thickness of the plate, the rabbet therefore being cut back from the end of the shelf a distance twice the thickness of the plate, thus leaving the interval or angular space between the walls of the rabbet and the inwardly-facing channel-plate such as to accommodate and be filled by one of the angle-plates A, secured, as above described, to the upright. Fig. 3 shows clearly in what manner the horizontal partition or shelf, provided with the double angle or channel plate, secured as stated, is engaged with the abutting ends of two sections of the vertical partition or upright, which are themselves provided with the single angle-plates, as described, said Fig. 3 showing at one side of a vertical partition a shelf engaged with the two sections of said partition abutting end to end and at the other side a similar shelf adapted for engagement, but disengaged. It will be seen that when two such sections of uprights are connected by the shelves at both sides a very rigid joint is formed and that even when connected by a shelf at only one side a substantially rigid structure will result. Such structure is made thoroughly rigid, even without the junction with a shelf at both sides, by means of the back E. (See Fig. 2.)

For the purpose of the connection of the back with the other elements of the ease the uprights designed for intermediate partitions are rabbeted at the rear edge upon both sides, and one of the double angle or channel plates B is secured to the rear edge in the same in anner as such plates are secured to the end of the horizontal partitions or shelves, with the flanges facing inward and overhanging the rabbets, spaced. from the walls thereof a distance suitable to admit angle-plates A, and such angle-plates are secured upon the inner or forward side of the lateral edges of the back boards E, which are preferably cut out or rabbeted on their forward face, so as to let the angle-plates in flush with the forward surface, the lip of the angle-plate being spaced off from the edge of the back board a distance equal to the thickness of the plate, so as to admit the flange of the channel-plate B.

For end standards instead of the channelplate B an angle-plate A is employed, because engagement is necessary only at one side.

With the construction described it will be understood from Fig. 2 that the back board is inserted vertically between two standards and that it may extend past any number of horizontal partitions or shelves when the latter are left short of the full depth of the cabinet or width of the upright by the amount of the thickness of the back plate, or that if it is preferred to have the shelf removable without disturbing the back plate the shelf may be the full depth of the case, and the back plate will then be inserted vertically to the shelves, on which it will abut endwise, and in either construction the back gives rigidity to the sections comprising two of the consecu tive uprights and any two horizontal partitions or shelves between which the back extends.

It will be understood that the double angle or channel plates are necessary only when two sections are to be connected and that therefore for shelves or horizontal partitions which are to be interposed in the length of sections of the upright that is, not at the junctions of two consecutive upright sections--an angle-plate only is necessary. Such construction is seen in Fig. 2, where there are shown transverse channels G in the upright having an angle-plate A let in flush with the surface and its lip overhanging the channel spaced therefrom, so as to admit a corresponding angle plate into engagement with it, such corresponding angle-plate being secured to the end of the shelf. This construction is analogous, it will be observed, to that shown in Fig. 2 for the connection of the back plate with the end standard, which is distinguished from the corresponding connection of the back plate with an intermediate standard in the same manner as the junction of the intermediate shelf, which is distinguished from the junction of the shelf which connects two upright sections.

In order that the metal fittings described may not be visible at the front of the case, I prefer to terminate the rabbets across the ends of the upright sections at a little distance back from the forward edge, as seenin Fig. 5 and as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and to cut a corresponding notch, as seen at F, Fig. 5, in the forward corner of the horizontal partition or shelf, so that the shelf may he slid in from the back until its forward edge is flush with the forward edge of the uprights. For finishing the cabinet without making necessary any other form of fitting the uprights above the top and below the bottom shelf or horizontal partition may have added to them short sections J K, the former serving as feet and the latter as finishing caps or terminals for the uprights, which, it will be understood, are provided with the angle-plates and jointed with the other sections in precisely the same manner as if they were full-length sections. l/Vhen the case is to be extended upward or downward, the short sections being withdrawn, full-length sections may be substituted and the short sections again employed at the top as a finish.

By rabbeting the ends of the shelves to a depth somewhat more than twice the thickness of the metal the shoulder (Z of the rabbet is made to overhang the fastening devices L, whether screws or nails, screws being shown, which secure the angleplates to the uprights, and by this means the fastening de- ITO vices are prevented from working out, leaving the angle-plates loose and protruding, to the damage of the contents of the cabinet.

I claim 1. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with uprights consisting of sections abutting end to end and hav ing such ends laterally rabbeted and provided with angle-plates having lips or flanges projecting into the rabbets, horizontal partitions or shelves having at the ends angle-plates with flanges projecting back toward the opposite ends respectively, adapted to engage the flanges of the plates on the upright sections.

2. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with uprights having transverse channels and angle-plates mounted thereon, with lips or flanges projecting into such channels respectively, horizontal partitions or shelves having their ends adapted to enter the channels, and having angleplates at their ends adapted to engage within the channels the angle-plates of the uprights.

3. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with side uprights having each at one vertical edge an angleplate with a flange projecting inward, a back board having at its lateral edges angle-plates with a flange turned outward for engagement with the inturned flange of the side uprights.

4. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work com prising, in combination with side uprights laterally rabbeted at the rear vertical edges, angle-plates secured upon said rear edges with a flange projecting into such rabbet, and spaced laterally and edgewise from the respective walls of the rabbet; a back board having at its lateral edges angle-plates secured on its inner surface with lips or flanges projecting back toward the opposite surface and spaced from the lateral edges respectively, adapted to enter the rabbet-space of the uprights for engagement with the angle-plates thereon.

5. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising uprights and detachable sections abutting endwise, having their abutting ends laterally rabbeted; angle-plates secured to each section with a flange projecting into the rabbet, in combination with horizontal partitions or shelves having double angle or channel plates secured to their ends with flanges projecting inward for engagement with the flanges of the angle-plates on the upright sections.

6. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with uprights consisting of detachable sections having their abutting ends at each junction laterally rabbeted, an angle-plate mounted by one flange or lip on the side of each upright section, with the other flange projecting into the rabbet at a substantial distance back from the end of such upright section, and spaced edgewise laterally from the respective walls of the rabbet; a horizontal partition or shelf whose thickness at the end is substantially equal to the distance between the flanges of the angle plates on the two abutting upright sections, and a double angle or channel plate secured to such end of the shelf adapted to engage the inturned lips or flanges of the angle-plates on the upright sections respectively.

7. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with the uprights consisting of disengageable sections abutting end to end, and having such abutting ends laterally rabbeted. an angle-plate secured upon a. lateral inner face of each upright section with a lip or flange projecting into the rabbet thereof at a distance back from the ends of the respective sections to space the flanges apart for admitting between them a shelf end; a horizontal partition or shelf having an end adapted to be entered between said spaced flanges, and a double angle or channel plate secured to such shelf end with its flanges projecting back toward the opposite end and adapted to engage such spaced flanges respectively.

8. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with uprights comprising disengageable sections having their ends rabbeted from one vertical edge to within a short distance of the opposite edge; angleplates. overhanging the rabbets spaced for the admission between themof a shelf end; a shelf or horizontal partition having its end adapted to be so admitted, and a double angle or channel plate secured to such end with its flanges projecting toward the opposite end and adapted to engage the spaced angle-plates on the upright sections, each shelf having an angular notch at the forward corner of each end corresponding in dimensions to the omitted portion ofthe rabbet in the upright sections, the angle and channel plates on said upright sections and shelves being terminated at the forward end at like distance back from the forward edge of said elements respectively.

9. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising uprights consisting of disengageable sections rabbeted across their ends; angleplates overhanging the rabbets spaced from each other for admitting between them a shelf end; a shelf having its end rabbeted at both sides and thereby reduced in thickness for admission between spaced angle-plates and a double angle or channel plate secured to said reduced end With its flanges projecting back into the rabbets respectively and adapted to engage the corresponding flanges of the angleplates on the upright sections, the shoulders of the rabbets on the shelf ends being of width to overhang the fastenings of the angle-plates to the upright sections.

10. Sectional knockdown cabinet-work comprising, in combination with uprights consist- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, n the presence of two Witnesses, at IO Chicago, Illinois, this 11th day of February,

JOHN F. PRIESMEYER. In presence of CHAS. S. BURTON, FREDK. Gr. FISCHER.

ing of sections abutting end to end and having such ends laterally rabbeted and provided with angle-plates having lips or flanges projecting into the rahbets, horizontal partitions or shelves having at their ends zu'igle-pletes provided With flanges adapted to engage Within the ra-bbets of the uprights the flanges of the angle-plates thereon. 

